A case of writer’s block enveloped me as deer season has come to a close and the winds of March are upon us. That’s why I smiled as I read a headline the other day that stated “Donald Trump’s sons criticized after brutal hunting photos released.” I should have known; criticism plus hunting equals PETA.

First off, Donald Trump’s sons hunting? That was enough to pique my interest to read further. Seems as though Donald Jr. and Eric Trump are avid hunters, or at least in billionaire terms. Their recent hunting exploits to Africa seem to have caught the attention of the radical, wacko organization that masquerades itself as the fake fur fanatics.

In one of the photos, the young Trump was holding a piece of an elephant trunk that he had just shot. Yeah, we may think that sounds bizarre, but the customs of Zimbabwe are such, and are not offensive to anyone in that culture. The meat is donated to villagers and the kill is celebrated because the meat provides sustenance in a place vegetarianism is something that’s practiced, but not by choice.

I’ve never wanted to kill an elephant, but I understand even elephant herds need to be managed and I would bet you a nice, thick, PETA ribeye that the elephant that Trump killed was past its prime and needed to be taken from the herd. You see, sometimes killing provides life to other animals, as strange as that sounds.

I’m sure PETA probably thinks cutting off an elephant trunk is brutal or cruel, and it would be if the animal were still alive, but it wasn’t. PETA never passes up a chance to denounce hunting and attack those who hunt. I say if you want to be a vegetarian, that’s great. But, even vegetarians are complicit in killing, whether you like it or not. The ground that is used to grow vegetables is cleared, destroying habitat for all types of animals. The ground is prepared for planting, which kills small game and other creatures. The soil is treated with chemicals, as are the plants that are grown, which kills insects and unknown other species. The list can go on, but you get my point. For everything good, there’s a sacrifice being made.

The PETA loonies suggested the Trumps should consider skydiving, bungee jumping or following in dad Donald’s footsteps of destroying competing businesses. I would imagine the Trump boys have tried all of that, but if hunting is something they enjoy and they obey all laws, go for it!

Interestingly, the elder Trump defended his sons but said he “is not a believer in hunting.” Well, living in uptown New York I can sort of understand that misguided way of thinking. But for someone who talked about running for the President of the United States, that would be a deal breaker — at least for us southern boys. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve see President Obama out duck or deer hunting lately. Then again, I don’t think he carried the South.

The story posted on E! News online contained a response to the criticism the Trumps have endured.

“We have the utmost respect for nature and have always hunted in accordance with local laws and regulations. In addition, all meat was donated to local villagers who were incredibly grateful. We love traveling and being in the woods — at the end of the day, we are outdoorsmen at heart.”

Both younger Trumps were exposed to hunting and fishing by their grandfather, who taught them the values of being outdoors and how nothing should ever be taken for granted or wasted. It sounds to me like grandpa Trump is the one with all the sense. I’m just glad he passed it down to his grandsons. It’s stories like this that make me thankful my Dad was a fisherman and shared that passion with his two sons. I couldn’t imagine the trouble I might have gotten in had I not been out running yo-yos on Friday nights or getting to bed early because I had to put out duck decoys before the sun came up.

I think it’s sad organizations such as PETA are focused on celebrity endorsements and misguided causes, and its members contain many hypocrites who don’t practice what they preach. But this is March, where the winds blow and there’s not a lot to do except state the obvious — so what the heck.

David Mosesso is the publisher of The Jonesboro Sun. His email address is dmosesso@jonesborosun.com.